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Intro
I live in the Midwest and I'm always on the lookout for new, interesting greens to grow. When my friend told me about purslane microgreens, it intrigued me because of its unusual name alone.
What is it? It's a type of succulent that doesn't taste like much but can be used as a salad green if you're not too picky! Purslane tastes kind of like spinach with some tanginess to it. To grow these "weeds" all you'll need is seeds, soil, water, and sunshine!
What are Microgreens?
Microgreens are the youth plants harvested before they have become mature adult plants. Microgreens are the baby of the well-known common plants you would have in your garden or buy in the grocery store. For example, if you buy kale at the grocery store, you will be buying a bunch of kale leaves from a mature kale plant. Kale microgreens are the same plant only grown to the size of one to three inches tall and then harvested at that time. They can be harvested in eight to fourteen days, depending on the variety. There is a wide range of flavors with microgreens. They can very intense flavored compared to the adults.
Microgreens are grown away from a light source to get lengthy quickly before introducing them into the light. After you see the first true leaves, they are ready to be harvested. The first leaves that you will see are called cotyledons. The first true leaves are the second set of leaves that appear. When you notice these leaves, your microgreens are ready to be harvested and eaten.
Microgreens have more concentrated nutrient content than mature plants. In most cases, the microgreen antioxidant levels, vitamins, and minerals are higher than the adult plants. There are some vegetables where that is not the case. Overall, eating microgreens will help you incorporate nutrition into your daily menu.
Purslane Microgreens Nutrition
Purslane Microgreens Health Benefits
Purslane microgreens are a great way to get more nutrient-dense foods in your diet. Purslane has been shown to have four times the vitamin C content of broccoli and research is indicating that it may also be helpful for digestion as well as regulating blood sugar levels.
Purslane is high in fiber and folate, as well as vitamin K and omega-three fatty acids to give your body optimum nutrition. Purslane helps detoxify the body from heavy metals like lead which may be present due to our environment or diet. This plant has also shown to have anti-inflammatory properties for arthritis pain relief because it contains Omega-eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA). Purslane also lowers blood pressure by preventing nitric oxide synthesis in the vascular endothelial cells.
Purslane microgreens are packed with vitamin A, a nutrient that is important for eye health and skincare. It also provides protection against sunburns by blocking harmful UV rays from reaching the skin’s surface. Purslane can lower cholesterol levels because it contains Omega-eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) which helps reduce triglycerides in your body.
How to Grow Purslane Microgreens Outdoors
The first step to growing purslane microgreens outdoors is to establish a plan for the area they will be grown in. Grab a space that will accommodate the number of purslane microgreens you will be growing.
Step two: Make a nice flat surface in the soil for easier harvesting.
Step three: Make an impression in the soil with a container or piece of wood. Press the wood or container firmly into the soil.
Step four: Add your purslane seeds to the impression in the soil that you have made. Seed it quite densely but not so much that the seeds will pile on top of each other.
Step five: Push the seeds down into the soil firmly with the wood or container you will be using.
Step six: Water the seeds very gently as to not displace them.
Step seven: Cover the seeds and go about doing other things.
Step eight: Remove the cover of the microgreens once they grow to the length that you desire. That will allow the sun to reach them.
Step nine: Harvest your delicious microgreens when the true leaves can be seen.
Step ten: Find the way that you enjoy these little greens and sit down and enjoy!
Step eleven: What are you waiting for? Get out there and plant purslane seeds! Of course after you finish reading my post.
I usually continue to check daily for watering needs.
If wood was your choice of cover then I can share my learning lesson with you, so you don't make my mistakes.
If you leave the piece of wood on too long then the microgreens will grow sideways and will be virtually impossible to harvest. If you have plenty of time to harvest your microgreens that may not matter to you.
I have decided to use a container for my microgreens now. that way they can grow straight up and I will have an easier time harvesting.
If you use a lighter piece of wood the microgreens may be strong enough to lift the piece of wood as they grow.
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